The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death. It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.” He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message. 1 of 11 Question Use the text of “The Story of an Hour” to answer the question. How does the story’s end contribute to the overall structure of the story? (1 point) Responses The story’s surprising ending gives the story a three-part structure that explores the distinction between Mrs. Mallard’s public persona and private emotions. The story’s surprising ending gives the story a three-part structure that explores the distinction between Mrs. Mallard’s public persona and private emotions. Mrs. Mallard’s surprising death at the end of the story brings the two-part structure to a tragic close. Mrs. Mallard’s surprising death at the end of the story brings the two-part structure to a tragic close. Mrs. Mallard’s unexplained death at the end of the story concludes the story’s three-part structure by creating more questions than answers. Mrs. Mallard’s unexplained death at the end of the story concludes the story’s three-part structure by creating more questions than answers. The tragic death of Mrs. Mallard because of her heart trouble brings the two-part structure of the story full circle.

Question

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin  Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.  It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of “killed.” He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.  1 of 11 Question Use the text of “The Story of an Hour” to answer the question.  How does the story’s end contribute to the overall structure of the story?  (1 point) Responses  The story’s surprising ending gives the story a three-part structure that explores the distinction between Mrs. Mallard’s public persona and private emotions. The story’s surprising ending gives the story a three-part structure that explores the distinction between Mrs. Mallard’s public persona and private emotions.  Mrs. Mallard’s surprising death at the end of the story brings the two-part structure to a tragic close. Mrs. Mallard’s surprising death at the end of the story brings the two-part structure to a tragic close.  Mrs. Mallard’s unexplained death at the end of the story concludes the story’s three-part structure by creating more questions than answers. Mrs. Mallard’s unexplained death at the end of the story concludes the story’s three-part structure by creating more questions than answers.  The tragic death of Mrs. Mallard because of her heart trouble brings the two-part structure of the story full circle.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The story’s surprising ending contributes to its overall structure by bringing a powerful and tragic conclusion to the thematic exploration of freedom and oppression. Mrs. Mallard's initial reaction to her husband's death highlights her feelings of liberation, as she envisions a life free from the constraints of her marriage. However, this brief sense of hope is abruptly shattered by the revelation of her husband’s survival, leading to her own demise.

The structure can be seen as a progression from the initial grief and shock to a moment of personal awakening, and finally to a tragic end that underscores the story's themes. Thus, Mrs. Mallard's unexpected death serves to bring the story full circle, reinforcing the constraining nature of her life and the ultimate costs of societal expectations on women. The abrupt ending creates a poignant commentary on the complexities of freedom and the devastating impact of repression, making it central to the overall narrative arc.